Dr Ganesh Balendra
MBBS BMedSci FRACS(Orth) FAOrthA DipSurgAnat MIPDEd
Dr Balendra is an Australian trained Orthopaedic Surgeon with a commitment to excellence in Hip and Knee Surgery. He graduated from The University of Melbourne in 2009 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. During his university years, Dr Balendra’s passion for Orthopaedic surgery led him to undertake an overseas exchange at the prestigious Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford. After spending his junior years working in Melbourne, Dr Balendra completed his Orthopaedic surgical training across multiple hospitals in Queensland under the direction of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
On completion of his surgical training, Dr Balendra travelled to the United Kingdom to undertake further sub-specialist training. His first fellowship was in Sports Knee Surgery at the Fortius Clinic in London, under the tutelage of the world renowned knee surgeon, Mr Andy Williams. It was here that he furthered his expertise in ACL reconstruction, multi-ligament knee reconstruction, meniscal surgery and joint preservation surgery. Dr Balendra worked with numerous elite athletes in London and has published extensively on the outcomes of ACL and Multi-ligament knee reconstructions in this unique patient group. His paper on ACL reconstruction in Professional footballers was awarded the Best Paper Award at the European Knee Society meeting for 2022-2023. He understands the psychology, surgical decision-making and post-operative rehabilitation techniques required to get an athlete back into competition safely.
Dr Balendra subsequently undertook fellowships in Advanced Adult Hip Reconstruction and Complex Trauma Surgery at the Avon Orthopaedic Centre in Bristol, where he had the opportunity to work in one of the largest orthopaedic centres in the United Kingdom with an international reputation for hip, knee and trauma surgery. He further refined his skills in complex and revision joint replacement surgery during his time in Bristol. Dr Balendra strives to be at the forefront of technological advancements in surgery and has performed numerous robotic-assisted joint replacements. Robotic surgery allows for greater surgical precision and results in patients having less pain, a faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay.
Dr Balendra returned to Australia during the COVID pandemic and held the position of Director of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital in Brisbane. With life in Australia returning to normal, Dr Balendra relocated to Sydney in 2022 to be closer to his family. Dr Balendra currently holds private practice accreditation at Kareena Private Hospital, St George Private Hospital, Hurstville Private Hospital and East Sydney Private Hospital. Dr Balendra also serves the communities of Tamworth and the surrounding regions, consulting locally and operating at Tamara Private Hospital.
Research
Dr Balendra is passionate about research and believes it is vital to improving outcomes in his patients. He has completed a Bachelor of Medical Science and has published extensively and presented at national and international meetings.
A selection of his recent publications are listed below:
- Lateral extra-articular tenodesis at primary ACL reconstruction increases career length in professional rugby players. KSSTA Aug 2024.
- The Effect of Primary ACL Reconstruction on Career Longevity in English Premier League and Championship Soccer Players Compared With Uninjured Controls: A Matched Cohort Analysis. AJSM April 2024.
- No difference in return to play rates between different elite sports after primary autograft ACL reconstruction. KSSTA Dec 2023.
- Determinants of Performance in Professional Soccer Players at 2 and 5 Years After ACL Reconstruction. AJSM Dec 2023.
- Rates and Levels of Elite Sports Participation at 5 years after Revision ACL Reconstruction. AJSM Nov 2022.
- Effect of Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis on the Rate of Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Elite Athletes. AJSM Oct 2022.
- High return to play rate following treatment of multiple-ligament knee injuries in 136 elite athletes. KSSTA Oct 2022.
- Factors affecting return to play and graft re-rupture after primary ACL reconstruction in professional footballers. KSSTA July 2022. (KSSTA Best Paper Award 2022-2023)
- Medial meniscal ramp lesions in ACL injured elite athletes are strongly associated with MCL injuries and medial tibial bone bruising on MRI. KSSTA May 2022.
- Anterolateral complex injuries occur in the majority of ‘isolated’ anterior cruciate ligament ruptures. KSSTA January 2022.
- High incidence of superficial and deep medial collateral ligament injuries in ‘isolated’ ACL ruptures – a long overlooked injury. KSSTA January 2022.
- The ABC management of the acetabular fracture patient. Orthopaedics and Trauma. April 2022.
- The use of anterior subcutaneous internal fixation (INFIX) for treatment of pelvic ring injuries in major trauma patients, complications and outcomes. SICOT-J 2019.
- Medial and lateral gap laxity differential in computer-assisted kinematic total knee arthroplasty. The Bone & Joint Journal 2019.
